Injury doesn’t result in Buehler losing ground in kicking competition

ARLINGTON – Cowboys kicker David Buehler cheerfully said hello to a few reporters on his way to the locker room after Sunday night’s 20-7 loss to San Diego.

Buehler’s upbeat demeanor was understandable because the injured hip that forced him to sit out the game didn’t result in him losing any ground in his competition with undrafted rookie Dan Bailey.

Bailey kicked an extra point and handled kickoffs, but he didn’t attempt any field goals. Rather than call on Bailey with 1:02 left, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett opted to go for it on fourth-and-3 from the San Diego 3-yard line with the Chargers leading by the final score.

After he scrambled backward several yards, Stephen McGee’s up-for-grabs pass into the end zone fell incomplete.

“It crossed our mind (to try a field goal), but we were close down there,” Garrett said. “I don’t know how much value we would have gotten out of it. It was a good opportunity to see those guys (McGee and the other offensive reserves), see if they could make a play and see if they could get the ball in.”

Buehler’s return to practice this week is uncertain. The Cowboys return to work on Tuesday at Cowboys Stadium.